A Slice of Spicy Heaven - Rajas con Crema
I think 2 and a half years of not posting has been long enough. Right? I think so. I've missed posting and sharing my favorite dishes with you all. During this long break, I've created, tested, and learned new recipes that I am very excited to share! Before I share shiny new recipes, I thought I would share one of my favorite dishes that happens to also be my go-to for potlucks, dinner parties, and taquizas (taco parties).
Rajas con Crema translates to (Poblano pepper) slices with cream. It is a very popular dish in Mexico, particularly in the central and southern parts of the country. I really enjoy it because you get a really bright, smokey, and spicy flavor from the roasted poblanos, while the cream brings in a richness and mild sweetness to the dish.
It's a very easy dish to make and I hope that it makes it to some of your potlucks and hopefully inspires you to throw some taco parties!
Rajas con Crema
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
6 chiles poblanos (roasted, peeled, and seeded)
1 large potato (peeled and cut into small cubes)
½ large white onion (julienned)
1 ½ cups of Monterey Jack cheese
1 16oz container of sour cream
Salt & pepper to taste
1 heaping tbs of chicken bouillon (Knorr brand is my preference)
2 Tbs of olive oil
Directions
Place the peppers on a skillet over medium/low heat. As each side gets roasted (turns black), turn each pepper, making sure that all sides have been roasted. Once the peppers are roasted, and cooked through, place in a plastic bag and close tightly. Leave them in the bag for about 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes are up, remove the peppers and begin peeling the charred skin off of the peppers. Once all the skin has been removed, remove the stem, seeds, and veins. Cut the peppers into strips of about 1 ½ inches long and ½ inch wide. Set aside.
An alternative to roasting the peppers on the stove is to roast them in the oven. Set the oven to 400°. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Brush each pepper lightly with a bit of vegetable oil, making sure that all of the pepper has been covered in oil. Place the peppers on the cookie sheet and put in the oven. Turning each pepper periodically to make sure all sides roast evenly. Once the skins have been charred, remove and follow the directions above.
In a large skillet, over medium/low heat, add the olive oil and once heated, add the potatoes. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Once the potatoes are about ½ way cooked, add the onions and sauté along with the potatoes. When the potato/onion mixture is about ¾ of the way cooked, add the peppers and sauté until all of the ingredients are cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste.* Fold in the sour cream. Add chicken bouillon and gently stir until combined. Once the sour cream has thinned out, leave to simmer for about 5-10 minutes on low heat. Taste and adjust salt and/or seasoning. Sprinkle all of the cheese on top, covering the top. Once all of the cheese has melted, you are done and ready to serve.
This is such a flavorful dish, that all it really needs is a side of white rice and some tortillas.
